Manual HVOF thermal spray repair of nickel aluminum bronze castings

Manual high velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) thermal spray repairs were accomplished on a large nickel aluminum bronze propeller castings. The repairs were done on three different configurations of surface defects of up to 100 square inches and as deep as 90 mils. Nickel aluminum bronze alloy powder, sieve sized for the HVOF process, was sprayed. High quality, high coating density, repairs were achieved even on porous areas of the castings. Prior to performance of the repairs, a procedure was qualified in accordance with MIL-STD-1687 and a mock-up simulating the repair was produced. After HVOF spraying of the mock-up, the sprayed surface was sanded, milled, and drilled to determine how finishing of the actual castings would be done. After successful procedure qualification, the HVOF equipment was moved to the job site, metal masking was devised for the spray areas and grit blasting and manual HVOF spraying was done. Results of HVOF coating chemical analyses, bend tests, coating tensile bond strength tests, coating microscopic examinations, and mock-up evaluations are reported along with the spray procedures and techniques used in the repairs.